Adjustable and disassemblable reel



Sept. 22, 1959 D. c. FRATE- EI'AL 2,905,408

ADJUSTABLE AND DISASSEMBLABLE REEL Filed July 8, 1957 m/vawrons D. C. FRA TE 0. G. STE TKA FIG. 2 BYQC.

4T TORNE Y 2,905,408 ADJUSTABLE AND DISASSEMBLABLE REEL Domenico C. Frate, Baltimore, and Daniel G. Stetka, Towson, Md., assignors to Western Electric Company, lsrficorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New ork Application July 8, 1957, Serial No. 670,571

2 Claims. (Cl. 242-1185) This invention relates to an adjustable and disassemblable reel, and more particularly to an adjustable reel upon which strand material, such as cable, may be wound, the reel being disassemblable to permit withdrawal of wound cable.

In the manufacture of cable, it is sometimes desired to cut and coil relatively short lengths of cable to which terminal blocks may be secured. The required lengths of such cable to be cut and coiled vary; therefore, it has been found desirable to provide an adjustable reel upon which cable might be coiled in order to obtain a predetermined number of coil layers in the coiled cable, the number of layers being independent, within limits, of cable length. In addition, it is desirable to provide a disassemblable reel so that the coiled cable may be secured, as desired, and then removed intact from the reel.

An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide an adjustable and disassemblable reel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable reel upon which strand material, such as cable, may be wound, the reel being disassemblable after winding to permit withdrawal of the wound cable.

An adjustable and disassemblable reel embodying certain features of the invention, may include a drum having a fixed flange secured thereto. The drum is formed with a plurality of spaced longitudinal grooves and a plurality of circumferential slots extending from each of the grooves. A detachable flange is provided having an aperture therein to permit the detachable flange to be placed on the drum and to be movable therealong. A plurality of lugs extending from the detachable flange are provided, whereby the lugs enter the grooves in the drum and the slots extending from the grooves to position the detachable flange on the drum at a preselected distance from the fixed flange. At least one threaded stop member is provided, designed for reception in a desired one of a plurality of tapped apertures formed in the bottoms of the grooves. The tapped apertures are so located that a stop member received therein will engage one of the lugs and stop the advancement of the detachable flange at a point where the lugs are aligned with preselected ones of the circumferential slots, in order to position the detachable flange parallel to and at a preselected distance from the fixed flange. Preferably, the slots extend at an angle of between one and five degrees toward the fixed flange.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an adjustable and disassemblable reel forming an embodiment of the invention and showing the parts assembled, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the adjustable and disassemblable reel comprises a fixed flange 10,

mi 11% Patent ice which is secured, such as by welding, to a generally cylindrical drum 11, upon which strand material, such as cable, may be wound. The drum 11 is preferably tubular, as shown in the drawings. The outer periphery of the drum 11 is preferably tapered slightly, the larger end being adjacent to the fixed flange 10, as shown in Fig. 1. Satisfactory results have been obtained with a taper of from one to five degrees. The purpose of the taper is to facilitate withdrawal of a coil, when it is desired to pull the coil longitudinally off of the drum 11.

The outer periphery of the drum 11 is provided with a plurality of spaced, longitudinally extending grooves 12-12. The longitudinal grooves 12-12 extend from the end of the drum 11 remote from the fixed flange 10, in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drum 11, to a point near the fixed flange 10. The grooves extend only part way through the thickness of the drum 11, as best seen in Fig. 2. In the preferred example shown in the drawings, there are three grooves provided, which are spaced approximately apart.

Each of the grooves 12-12 is provided with a plurality of short slots 13-13 connecting therewith and extending therefrom for a short distance along the circumference of the drum 11. The slots 13-13 are disposed, one slot 13 for each of the grooves 12-12, in a plurality of planes substantially parallel to the fixed flange 10 but spaced at preselected distances therefrom, one slot 13 being provided for each of the grooves 12-12 in each plane and all of the slots 13-13 in any one plane extending in the same circumferential direction from the grooves 12-12. In the example illustrated in Fig. 2, all of the slots 13-13 extend in a counterclockwise direction from the longitudinal grooves 12-12 and there are seven such planes with three slots in each plane. It is preferred that the slots 12-12 extend at a slight angle toward the fixed flange 10.

An adjustable and detachable flange 14 is provided having a central aperture 16 therethrough. The aperture 16 is of such diameter as to permit the detachable flange 14 to be placed over the end of the drum 11 remote from the fixed flange 10 and, also, to permit the detachable flange 14 to be moved longitudinally with respect to the drum 11 toward the fixed flange 10, to a point at least as close thereto as the plane of the slots 13-13 closest to said fixed flange 10.

The detachable flange 14 is provided with a plurality of lugs 17-17, equal in number and spaced from each other in accordance with the number and spacing of the grooves 12-12, so as to be capable of alignment therewith. The lugs 17-17 extend radially inwardly for a predesigned distance, such that a slight clearance will exist between-them and the inner edges of both the grooves 12-12 and the slots 13-13. The lugs 17-17 are formed of such size as to be capable of entering the longitudinal grooves 12-12 and sliding longitudinally therewithin and, in addition, entering and sliding circumferentially within the slots 13-13. In the preferred example, as best seen in Fig. 2, there are provided three such lugs 17-17 spaced approximately 120 apart, so as to be capable of alignment with the grooves 12-12 of the drum 11, which are spaced similarly.

It is preferred to provide stop means for the detachable flange 14, positionable adjacent to each plane of the transverse slots 13-13. A preferred example of such stop means is shown in the drawings to comprise a plurality of headed threaded members 19-19, which are designed to be screwed within any of a plurality of tapped apertures 20-20 formed in the drum 11 and extending radially inwardly from the bottoms of the longitudinal grooves 12-12. The tapped apertures hand portions of zthe headsl bf the threded i i 19- 19 are intended'to stop the lugs 717-17 fror'n fur- 3 are so located that, whenthe threaded members 19-19 are screwed therein, the right-handpoftionsof the heads of the threaded-{members 1919, as seen in Fig.1, are approsimately-in line .vvith, thelefit; sides of the corresponding transverse vslots-13-.13. "The :rightir lb'ers ther longitudinal movement to le'ft t' as 's 'e 'en-iidFig. 1, at a position in alignmentiwith the slots"13%13i'so that the lugs'are in position. to enter the-slots 1313 upon counterclockwise rotation of the detachable flange 14, as viewed in FiguZ. The Ithread ed'memb ers '19','1 9

- should be of such height that they will not extend above the top of the longitudinal grooves 12Tl2fthereby a preventing engagementwith strand-material woniid 'on thedrum 11. H V

Assembly qizd operation "To-assemble and operate 'the" adiustableT-andsdisasthe'drum 11, as viewed in Fig. l. 'T'The"detachableflan'ge 14 is rotated until the lugs 17417 are' in 'ali'gnnient with the longitudinal grooves 12'12. The I detachable'ifia'nge 14-is then movedto-the le'ft, as' viewed in Fig. 1,":until the lugs-17 17 are in alignment with the slots 113 13 in the partioular'planedesired. fI'hisalignment is auto- I atic when stop means,'such as the-threaded. members "1919; are provided.

The detachable flange--14 is thenrotated counterclockwise,-as viewed in Fig. 2,- until the"lugs '17- -17= are fin contact with the'closd 'endsofthe islots 13-43 remote fromthe-- grooves 12-}12. In the-example L shown in 'Fig. 1, the detachable' flange '14 is located at'the'outermost plane provided; but 'it can "be readily s'een that the "detachable flange" 14 could be OSitioHedsirfiilafly in any of the other six 'planes'of slots" 13 13, shown-tin Fig.

-1. Iftheueel is set up so-that, wh'en' eperatedfirota- -tion of the-drum ll is-in a clockwise direetiOnQas-seen in Fig; 2-,- the lugs 17-"17" willtend tosre'majnwat the outer ends of 'the' slots i "13 13; 5 and -*no* external "securing means are "necessary. *ItWould, however, -'be "possible 'to use external means (not}"'-shown) tofpositive'ly loclc the detachable" flange 14 -in place.

The assembled reel, havingthe detachable-i lahge 14 positioned "forfthe' desired drum --length,- is new '"ready "for use,' for-example; as acable 't'ake-upfe'el. 'l "he-e'able is wound by conventional ineans (not i sheen around the outer periphery'of'thedrum 11- and between thetwo flanges and 14. When the' d'esiied'ainount ofcable has'been -wound, "the winding ineans autonomy are desired. The detaehable" flange "14 "r'najflbe?rem'oiied by reversing-the assembly steps, as 'will be' obvioiis. "-R'emoval "of "the detachableflangeis facili'tated when the slots L extendat a slight angle toward the flied flange 10.

The coiled cable may then be pulled longitudinally ea prises: a fiollowdiilmfhaving' generallycircularf cross sectionj a fixeci flange secured to one end of saiddrum, said drum being provided with a plurality of longitudinal grooves in the-outer surface thereof extending from the f166 }l'1dl1i lf0f,' a plurality of tapped apertures in the bottoms of the grooves, and a plurality of short circumferential slots extending from each of the grooves, the slots being disposed in a plurality ofplanes parallel to spaced 'atpresele'cteddistancesfrom said fixed flange one slot being provided for each groove in veach plane, each slot. in "eachfpla'ne extendinghn the same circumferential direction from the groove associated therewith; atdetachable fiangefh'a'ving ana'peitu're therein of greater diametetthan thefouter diameter of said drum; a plurality of lugs'secured tovsaid'ndetachable flange, extending radially inwardther'efrom, and spaced sop as tobe alignable with'the. grooves in said drum, so that s aidlidetachable 'flange 5 may' be" placed over the free end of drumand advanced' therealong with said lugs entering the longitudinal grooves in saididrum and advancingtherealong; and-at leastl-one threaded stop member designator reception in '-'the tapped apertures, the tapped apertures being so'loca'ted that a stop member-received therein'fvvill" en age one of said lugs and stoptheadvance'rnent of said-detachable flange at a point wherein said l:ugs' are' aligned'with a preselected plane ot the. 's lo'ts,-.in1 which position said detacl iab le flange :may; I be rotated with respect to, said drum that enter'the slots infsaid drum to mount said detachable flangeflin place'pa'rallel, to said 7 fixed flange and 'spacedafapreselected distance therefrom. I

5 2. An adjustable V and disas's'emblable reel ,according to claim l wherein the slots exte'ndat'lhn angle-offnot j less than one degree and'n'ot more than five 'de'g'r'e'es toward said-fiir ed flange.

' Rferenccs Cited in -theifile ofthis; patent {UNITED :STA'lES PATENTS 

